This invention relates generally to storing packet data and in some embodiments to storing data such as video and audio files which have been transmitted over a transport medium.
A variety of audio and video content is provided to content consumers using a variety of transport media including airwave broadcasts, network transmissions, satellite transmissions and cable transmissions, as examples. Content producers have concerns that their property rights in such content will not be respected when high quality digital recording techniques are widely available to consumers. For example, the recording industry is concerned about the on-line recording of music and similarly content owners have concerns about the recording of broadcast television content.
With a digital recording medium it is possible to make very high quality recordings of content provided at low cost. These recordings may be duplicated using widely available equipment to make a large number of copies at very low cost.
Thus, there is a continuing need for techniques for protecting the rights of content owners while providing consumers with access to advanced recording technologies.